A
chemical reaction or
transformation, the main feature of which is the
bimolecular removal of an atom (neutral or charged) from a molecular entity. For example:
(
proton abstraction from acetone)
(hydrogen abstraction from methane)
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1081